Stow Democratic Town Committee TO MEET
The Stow Democratic Town Committee will meet at 7:15pm Wednesday, January 28, at the Red Ginger Restaurant. Topics of discussion will include Springfest activities, options for a forum on “Green Stow”, and an update on the state convention in September. For more information contact James Cohen at DrJPCohen@aol.com. New members welcome.

Minuteman High School Prospective Students Dinner
Minuteman is the public regional technical high school for the Nashoba Regional School District. Free bus transportation is offered to every student. As part of our effort to welcome you to the Minuteman family, Superintendent Bouquillon invites you to a dinner at 5 pm on January 29. This dinner will provide you with more details about the opportunities and experiences available for students considering Minuteman.

If you are interested in attending please visit the Minuteman.org website to fill out the online form to RSVP. Any questions? Please call 781-861-6500. We look forward to seeing you on the 29th! Minuteman High School is at 758 Marrett Rd., Lexington.

Publishing Networking Group Meeting
Stow resident Serena Howlett will lead the meeting on Saturday, January 31, at 10:30am, at the Randall Library. Serena is a freelance editor with a professional background as a lawyer and health policy writer. She will take publishing group members and guests on a coast-to-coast tour of summer writing workshops in beautiful locations with prize-winning faculty and aspiring writers in various genres. Following the workshop, there will be a discussion about the benefits of sharing rough drafts and story ideas and working with an editor. This is a public meeting open to anyone interested in publishing. For more information, please contact Eileen Kramer at Kramer@tiac.net.

Melissa Ferrick at New ReviVal Coffeehouse
Singer and songwriter Melissa Ferrick will perform at the New Revival Coffeehouse on Saturday, January 31, at 8 pm. The Coffeehouse is at First Parish Church of Stow and Acton, 353 Great Rd. Ferrick has released 17 albums of the past 20 years. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 at the door. Advance sale tickets are available at BrownPaperTickets.com. Doors open at 7:30 pm. For further information, call 978-274-2593 or email coffeehouse@fpc-stow-acton.org.

Assabet Valley Little League Spring 2015 Registration is OPEN
AVLL Opening Day is scheduled for Sunday, April 26. AVLL has baseball and softball and t-ball divisions for players ages 5-12. We also have a softball division for girls 13 to 15 years old. Major and Minor baseball and softball are considered competitive divisions, and require players to attend an evaluation early in the spring. These divisions also will have tournament teams that begin play early in July and could ultimately compete into August for an International Championship.

Visit www.avll.net to register. A late fee of $25 will be charged after January 31, with most registrations closing March 1. If anyone has questions contact: Scott Arsenault, president, at avllpresident@gmail.com or 978-331-0234.

Girl Scout cookies at Shaw’s!
Stow Girl Scouts will be hosting Girl Scout cookie sales at Shaw’s this weekend, January 31 and February 1, from 9-5. Stop by and get Thin Mints, Caramel deLites, Peanut Butter Patties, Shortbread, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Lemonades, Thanks-A-Lot, and Cranberry Citrus Crisps. America’s favorite cookies are still only $4 per box. The Girl Scouts can also accept donated boxes of cookies to be sent to military troops or to the local food pantry.

stow garden club meeting FEBrUary 4
The next meeting of the Stow Garden Club will be Wednesday, February 4, at the Union Church at 7pm for a “Make and Take.” At this session, you will be able to make a beautiful arrangement for Valentine’s Day and take the arrangement home. Please bring your own container. Flowers and instructions will be provided. Contact MariePatrice Masse @ 978-579-0897 as advanced signup is required.

Events at the Randall Library
(For more details check out http://www.randalllibrarystow.org)

College Planning Workshop, Thursday, February 5, 7pm – Where does the money come from? What is the best way to save? What are the real costs for an education? Stow parent (and financial advisor) Joelle Spear will help you estimate the costs of college, explain saving plan options, and coach you on how to get started investing in your child’s future.

Library Museum Lecture, Thursday, February 12, 7pm – Local historians from the Stow Historical Society will be at the library to explain all the interesting objects donated by the society to the Randall Library, now on display on the second floor.

Live Jazz with the Parish Jazz Band, Thursday, February 19, 7pm – Come enjoy the great songs of the American Jazz Songbook performed by the Parish Jazz Band! This is a wonderful way to get your toes tapping on a cold February night.

Rotary Clubs Sponsor Meal Packaging Event
The Rotary Clubs of Nashoba Valley, Acton-Boxborough, Clinton, Littleton, and Montachusett Area are sponsoring a Stop Hunger Now food packaging event on February 7, from 10-, in the cafeteria of Nashoba Regional High School. The goal is to package at least 10,000 meals in a couple of hours. Interested participants can register at http://events.stophungernow.org/RotaryNashoba. Walk-in volunteers are also welcome. These meal packages are shipped around the world to support school feeding programs and crisis relief. The food stores easily, transports quickly, and has a shelf-life of two years. For more information, visit www.stophungernow.org. For more information about the Rotary Club of Nashoba Valley, contact info@nashobarotary.org or visit www.nashobarotary.org and www.facebook.com/nashobarotary.

NRHS INFORMATIONAL MEETING FOR PARENTS OF CURRENT 8th GRADE
Students and Parents of incoming ninth graders into Nashoba Regional High School are invited to an Informational Meeting on February 12, 2015 in the NRHS Auditorium. A high school program overview will begin at 6pm in the Auditorium. Academic Department Heads and a representative for Minuteman Vocational Technical High School will be available for questions, and all are invited to join in student-led tours of the facility.

Reservations are not required. If you have any questions, please contact the NRHS Main Office at 978-779-2257, x 0.

Blood Drive at the Department of Fire Services
In memory of the Worcester Six, the state Dept. of Fire Services will hold a blood drive on Friday, February 13, from 11am to 4pm. Walk-ins welcome but appointments are preferred. Fire Services is located at One State Rd. in Stow. For an appointment call 800-733-2767 or visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter code 3701.

Donating blood is a simple thing to do, but it can make a big difference in the lives of others. Thank you!

new book club meets
The next meeting of The New Book Club will be on Tuesday, February 17, at 7pm at the Randall Library. We will be discussing The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker. This is a story of a father who disappears and a daughter who travels to Burma to come to terms with her father’s past. Join us to talk about the book that will take you there. Questions—978-897-6055

Home Buyer Seminar
Interested in buying your own home? Our panel of experts will take the mystery out of buying a home at a special seminar on Thursday, February 26, 7-9pm, at Emma’s Cafe, 117 Great Rd. in Stow.The semniar is free of charge, but you are encouraged to bring a donation for the Stow Food Pantry.

~Outside of Stow~

FIFTH BOLTON REPAIR CAFE: NEW DATE
The Rotary Club of Nashoba Valley, with help from Bolton Local, will hold the next Bolton Repair Cafe on Saturday, January 31, from 9am to 1pm. The event will be held in Davis Hall at the First Parish of Bolton Church, 673 Main St. Bring your items that need repair, and knowledgeable volunteers will try to fix them for free. The volunteers can work on items such as small appliances, computers, lamps, bikes, jewelry, and clothing. They can also sharpen knives, scissors, and garden tools. You only pay for needed parts. If you know what parts are needed, please get them ahead of time and bring them to the Repair Cafe to save time. For more information, contact Ray Pfau at 978-779-5545 or ray.pfau@oracle.com, or visit www.nashobarotaryorg.

The 3 Keys to Unlocking the Mysteries of Your Teen’s Mind
Do you struggle to understand what your teen is thinking when they do and say the things they do and say? Are you confused about how you are always on a different wavelength from your teen, and there is no real understanding? Are you tired of the screamfests and slamming doors, and then feeling angry and guilty? Are you tired of lying awake at night, worried about your teen’s choices? Then this event if for YOU! Join Parenting Coach, Stow’s Deborah C. Owen, for an evening of unlocking and understanding. Bring your spouse and your neighbor!

The event takes place Thursday, January 29, 7-9 pm, hosted by The Acton Congregational Church, 12 Concord Rd., Acton. Admission is free.
Household Goods Hosts open houses to kick off 25th year

It has now been a quarter century since Barbara and Ira Smith of Acton first decided to help a woman in need make a home for her family. Since then, their volunteer-driven project, now known as Household Goods Inc.,, has helped more than 30,000 families obtain the household essentials they desperately needed but could not afford to purchase.

Household Goods is hosting open houses for new volunteers on Wednesday, February 4, from 6-8 p.m. and Sunday, February 8, from 10 a.m.–12noon, at 530 Main St. in Acton. Volunteers are key to every aspect of the organization from assisting clients to administrative help.

Free Parenting Program in Bolton
Mom to Mom is being offered in Bolton on Thursdays, starting Febraury 5. Mom to mom is a program designed to encourage and support all mothers, grandmothers, and caregivers with biblically-based teaching on parenting, womens health, and relationships. Continuing through April 9, 9:15-11am, we meet upstairs in Fellowship Hall at Trinity Church in Bolton, 14 Wattaquadock Hill Rd. The program starts with refreshments and coffee, followed by a guest lecturer and small group discussion. Nursery care is available for infants through kindergarteners, but moms can also keep their child with them in the meeting. There is no charge for this program. Find us on Facebook at Mom to Mom in Bolton and also see www.trinitybolton.org/momtomom.htm. For more information, contact Trinity Church at 978-779-5517.

red cross blood drive
A blood drive will be hosted at Trinity Church in Bolton on Thursday, Februrary 19, 2pm – 7pm. Trinity is located at 14 Wattaquadock Hill Rd. Plenty of parking. The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community. Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and most of us will need blood in our lifetimes. Please schedule an appointment today at www.redcross.org/blood. For more information, contact Lee Pirtle at 978-562-6879.